McNaughton v. Johnson, 242 U.S. 344 (1917)

Please note: this case begins in mid-page. It therefore shares a citation with the last page of the previous case. If you are attempting to follow a link to the last page of 242 U.S. 339, click here.

McNaughton v. Johnson


No. 494


Argued December 12, 1916
Decided January 8, 1917
242 U.S. 344

APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Syllabus

The practice of fitting glasses to the human eye and treating ocular inflammation without the use of drugs or surgery is subject to supervision and regulation under the state police power.

No discrimination violative of the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment is deducible from the fact that a state law (Laws of California, 1913, c. 598) requiring persons treating inflammation of the eye and fitting glasses without the use of drugs to be licensed under the name of "optometrists" and subjecting their practice to regulation excepts persons who employ drugs in their practice, it appearing that the latter, through another statute, are subject to similar supervision and regulation under another name.

233 F. 334 affirmed.

The case is stated in the opinion.